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I like my LBSs but unfortunately this area isn't blessed w/ a shop that's experienced servicing my frame or many of the after-market parts we WWs spend our $$ on. So my needs are too often 'learning experiences' for them. Heck, if that's the case I can just as easily learn to do it, if I had the right tools. So, it's time to set up my own basement basic shop for the most routine maintenance. No wheel truing or gluing; headset or BB installation;or hub maintenance; but I'd like to be able to switch cassettes, cables/housings and primary components like the derailleurs, brake calipers, bars, stem, pedals, etc. Chains all have quick links, altho I still have an old rusty pin remover and chain whips. Consequently, what's your advice/experience on the least expensive yet functional choices for these essentials:

Work stand

Torque wrench that handles the standard range of Nm tensions

Third hand / clamp

Shimano cassette tightening/loosening tool

Wrench set (like most people, I have a mixed bag of Allen wrenches, but Y-wrench(s) would be handy)

Good Grease, carbon assembly compound and Ti anti-seizeI imagine you have the screwdrivers.You can get C-Clamps at the dollar store that can replace the 3rd hand.Good cable cutting tool-as much as any tool this is probably worth buying a good one.(Torx wrench).You already have the chain whips so all you need is the cassette tool and wrench.I like having a truing stand, nothing too expensive and of course appropriate spoke wrenchesUtility Knife.Cleaning stuff-Chain cleaner,solvent,brush.Rags.(BB wrench).And for the true WW a Dremel or other rotary tool.Not a bad idea to have a bunch of small parts around, cable tips etc.Needle nose pliers, scissors and other random tools laying around.

Depending what you are running there are sometimes some small random tools like the little plastic thing for seating DA cranks.That should get you through most anything outside of broken tubes and bent hangers.Or you could just buy a tool kit from Park.

good lightingball-peen hammerpastic-face hammersafety glassesnitrile glovesemery paperrubbing alcoholband aidssuper gluesome little baggies to sort small spare partsi could go on and on, but im a bit ocd with my work area

With a di2 battery mounted under you bb, the kind that rests on the bb and the fork is clamped on becomes pretty much useless.

If both frame and seatpost are really deep into weenie territory, the ones with a clamp are not so great.

I picked up one of those for €19 or something at what would be home depot in the US. It's definetly not great, but it does it job ok. Once you've used a nice one everything is so much easier, faster, stable and more secure, but if you don't use it every day, a very basic one will be ok, as long as you are not spoiled by a really nice one.

If you have both a weenie bike and something under your bb, I'd recommend the Reifig ones, but since this is about budget, I won't even link to them.

"Nothing compares to the simple pleasures of a bike ride," said John F. Kennedy, a man who had the pleasure of Marilyn Monroe.

Best home work stand TACX 3075 and it is essential...... strong and stable plus your not putting any carbon tubes in a set of jaws, the Tacx mounts bikes by front or back wheel drop outs . Plus it is cheap .... IMO

All this from an old bloke who wishes he was faster and could climb better...... enjoy the ride!

magnetic work tray, all your little bits go in here while you are working on them, if you knock it over they stay put (not the carbon) you can get it on the cheap from your local hardware store or online here:

Fourthbook wrote:On the boring serious side: any suggestions for workstand and basic tools other than those sold by Park?

i may get slammed for this, but most park stuff is crap. it's as if they decide what they want the tool to do, then they figure out the cheapest possible way to make it. their pedal wrenches have the largest "15mm" opening ive ever seen, the tubular handle is spot welded to the flat plate wrench opening, it often breaks apart there. they still dont know how to make a long lasting rack clamp cover, bb socket with such a large 3/8" opening it's guaranteed to fall off... id generally look elsewhere. pedros stuff is generally better thought out, better made, but they seem to be in a "transition" period so some of their stuff is hard to find now. just my 2c

You won't want to hear this, but the Park PRS-20 work stand is worth the expense - about $180 on Amazon. It makes your life a whole lot simpler for everything, including washing the bike.

I built my bike myself last summer so I can tell you what bought.

Set of L- shaped hex keys from home depot. Work great and like $11. Bottom bracket tool and cassette tool. Cheap on amazon. Crescent wrenchPark torque wrench. You need this. Also, the Ritchey torqkey comes in real handy as well. Park socket setYou can get Park grease or you can use bearing grease from Lowe's which I'm pretty sure is the same formula - a blue/green urea- based grease and is about half as cheap. Carbon paste can be useful as well. Small multi-size spoke wrench. Park's is $13. Black electrical tape. I cheaper out on the cable cutter and got something at Lowe's. Works okay but not great. I use another multi-tool for flat and Philips head screws although it's not ideal. Goof-off is good to have around. Some disposable rubber glovesDegreaser

I would call that the minimum. IMO you don't want to cheap out on the stand. It makes a huge difference in terms of how enthusiastic you might be about working on the bike.